Insider Tips to Closing More Sales

By Ingage. 

Industry expert, Chuck Thokey, shares his exclusive road map for nailing any type of contracting sale! 

‍The process of making a sale in the contracting industry can be exhausting! Luckily, industry pro Chuck Thokey has shared his exclusive road map to home improvement sales with Ingage. Take a look at the unique plan created by Chuck that outlines the steps to successfully close sales. 

Nail the first impression 

The roadmap to closing any sale starts with the first impression. If the sales rep walks in with what looks like a suitcase full of stuff, it can immediately overwhelm the client. The last thing you want to do is scare them off before you say hello. A better first impression is to get to know the homeowner first. Sit with them and have a conversation about why you’re there, what it is they’re looking for and how you can help them get it. Lay the groundwork for what you’re going to show them and put them at ease before you get into the slides and numbers. Let them know you’ll be asking certain questions instead of pulling out a long list and diving in as if interrogating the client.  

Ask the right questions 

Asking questions up front is very important and can save both you and the customer from wasting time. Some clients won’t be a good fit for what you have to offer, and you’ll want to know that sooner rather than later. For example, they might have requests that are outside the scope and expertise of your company and you don’t want to tell a customer you can do something for them when your installers can’t. This can hurt your reputation, the reputation of the company and negatively affect sales down the road.  

Two important questions to ask up front, especially if they are looking to remodel the kitchen or the bathroom, are how long they’ve lived in their home and how long they plan on being there. How you sell a project for someone’s forever home is different from the pitch for a home they plan to sell in 5 years. You also want to discover the scope of the project; is it a complete remodel of the bathroom or just the bathtub? Although you probably already have a good idea of what they want before you get to the home, you always want to double check. 

Finally, learn what their budget is up front. This will help you determine whether the project is even possible, and can give you the opportunity to educate the client on what they can expect for their money. It will also save you from going through your whole presentation only to have them tell you at the end that it’s too expensive. This can also inform your timeframe for the project, so you immediately know whether it’s doable or unrealistic which can be communicated to the client right away.  

Show how you can help 

Once you’ve completed the standard inspection and answered the initial questions, come back to the table and show them exactly how you can help and what makes your company stand out from the competition.  

This is when you want to show the client your presentation. If you did a project at a home somewhere else in the neighborhood, show them the finished product so they can see the quality of the work your company does. Talk to them about industry standards and assure them that your standards are even higher. With interactive features on the Ingage platform, you can show how you use only highly trained, insured installers and products by displaying customer testimonials or project photos. You want to convey to the client that your company stands behind your work and honors the warranty. The truth is, most companies will tell the client this, but what you can do is show them through the Better Business Bureau, Google reviews, Facebook and other resources where the client can see public reviews and ratings on your company.  

Make your presentation count 

Whether you are replacing a bathtub, a kitchen or something entirely outside of the home, use your presentation as a source to share all of the various options the client has. With buttons, image carousels and non-linear navigation, you can easily show a wide range of product offerings without overwhelming the client. Using before and after sliders can help you show the difference between cost-effective but low-quality materials and higher-end options. No matter what you’re selling, your presentation should be utilized as a way to engage the client and convince them to buy.  

Use discounts and incentives 

Don’t be afraid to lean on the discounts and incentives your company may offer. Customers like to know they’re getting a deal, even if they are spending thousands of dollars. Your incentive might be an upgrade at no extra cost or offering them the option to wait to finalize their options until the day of install. You can also offer more exclusive deals like price matching where if they find the same product for less, you’ll match the price of a written offer.  

Close the sale 

If the appointment has gone well, the next step is to get the client to sign on the dotted line. You want them to commit, and you want to make the sale right there. Too often, a client isn’t sure or is nervous about it, especially if it entails spending a lot of money. This is where you can use certain techniques to close the sale.  

A client can give you many different reasons why they aren’t ready to sign yet. You might find them saying they need to consult with a family member or prefer to get more estimates. The thing you don’t want to do is pressure them into signing. Tell them you’d love to have their business and be assertive but polite. Reassure the client that you will meet or exceed their expectations and review the benefits they will experience by reviewing the testimonials you have from your other clients. 

If you can’t make the sale onsite, you do risk losing the deal. But sometimes it is unavoidable, and that’s okay. In these cases, make a follow-up appointment with the client before you leave for no more than a few days later. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that you’ll lose the sale. Take away with you any questions and concerns the customer has and have the answers when you return.